Waterproof socks – yea or nay?

[lisa r]

I’m curious if anyone can speak from experience hiking for extended periods in waterproof socks. I’ve got an upcoming trip to AK and anticipate wet feet for a week. A recent mention in another forum about Rocky socks (vs. Sealskinz, which people report don’t work) has piqued my interest. Worth a shot or wishful thinking?

[John S.]

I let my feet get wet in non-waterproof trail running shoes for daytime and use Rocky Goretex socks in camp after drying/cleaning feet and putting on dry socks (or take lightweight second pair of dry shoes for camp). At one point I did hike in the waterproof socks but the water goes through eventually. If there is alot of gravel getting into shoes then I hike in neoprene socks/trail runners.

[James Marco]

I ruined a pair of sealskins several years ago during a stream crossing. I use leather shoes (mids) that protect my ankles from all sorts of stuff. I pull the lower liner and let them hang overnight. No, they usually don;t dry, but it helps. I gave up on dry feet. Your feet are usually wet with sweat or insensible perspiration during the day. If they get squshy, I stop and wring out the water from my socks (usually thick wool) and lower liners, and just put my shoes back on. I don’t worry about wet feet. At night, I change into dry socks. I let my feet air out and dry as much as possible before putting my dry pair on. I dring a light water shoe (about 5oz for the pair) to wear around camp with no socks. In wet weather, my “Never Wet” gear (down quilt, long johns, sleeping socks) don’t get touched till I am ready for bed. Then I strip my cloths, and hang them under the tarp, set up my pillow and cnange into my dry gear, for sleeping. IFF I have to get up in the middle of the night, I pull my socks off, then slip on my camp shoes. I usually have my rain jacket handy, too.
I gave up on worrying about wet feet many years ago. My feet are always damp or wet anyway.

[Mark Verber]

As others, I have given up on keeping feet “dry” but I sometimes select “waterproof” socks.  There are two motivations:

1. Minimize friction (typically thin neoprene socks).  When constantly going in an out of water most socks end up adhering more to the shoe/sandal than my foot which means friction is by my foot. When wet makes blisters more likely. I have experienced less of this with neoprene socks. Also, neoprene tends to leave my feet cleaner: seals out sand, dirt, grit which can end up being like sandpaper.
2. Minimize water absorption (typically rocky gore + thin liners or vapor barrier socks in cold weather). I expect my feet to get wet, but I want to be able to dry them (and the clothing) at the end of the day. If I turn my waterproof socks inside out they dry much more quickly than a soaked wool sock.

At the end of the day my feet come out of whatever I was wearing, get cleaned, dried, “treated” and then go into socks that generally keep them that way.  Mostly wool socks, in extreme cold go back into the vapor barrier socks.

[Roger Caffin]

Dry feet?
Ha!
Sue & I go running every second morning, early. As we have been having 2″ of rain some days (2″ per day that is), everywhere we go is a shade damp.
So what? Makes no difference.

Cheers

[Dan @ Durston Gear]

I use them in select situations. My feet prune quite a bit and blister pretty easily when wet, so if I’m doing something very demanding like 40 mile days then “just get them wet” doesn’t work for me as they’ll get super destroyed.

I find Rocky socks quite a bit better than SealSkinz and they do keep the water out for a good while. It’s a losing battle because you’ll end up wet either due to sweat or slow leakage, but you can stay pretty dry for a half day or so in sloppy conditions. I wouldn’t use this in normal conditions, but during an endurance event I might use them and then swap out my interior socks after 3-4 hours to dry things off a bit, and then probably around 6-8 hours the battle is lost and my feet are soaked.

If you want to keep your feet dry for backpacking, it again is a losing battle but the socks will last for a bit and you can swap your socks to extend that. I wouldn’t go through that hassle just to keep them dry but if it helps with blistering then it can be worth it.

[JCH]

I own and use both the Rocky gore-tex and sealskins socks. Agree with most of what has been already said. If temps are warm I just let my feet get wet then change into dry thin liners and the sealskins for around camp in my wet shoes…they work well enough under those conditions. If it is cold and wet I like the Rockys. They will keep me dryER while hiking but mostly do a better job of keeping my feet warm.

I think there is a place and use for both.

[BlackHatGuy]

“If it is cold and wet I like the Rockys. They will keep me dryER while hiking but mostly do a better job of keeping my feet warm.”

This.

[Iago Vazquez]

I have used a forgotten brand of Goretex socks cycling in cold weather years ago. Fit was funky. Too narrow for my wide feet, too long for advertised size. If wet, water got through eventually. No big deal, since in another hour or so I would be indoors. Like you, I got curious about neoprene socks after reading about them, but Sealskinz and NRS Hydroskins don’t fit my wide feet. I think I heard good things about a 2mm neoprene US Divers socks to keep feet warm, but I gave up and haven’t tried these. Definitely try before you commit.

In extended wet and cold conditions, 30-55F, I use an oven bag outside my sock to keep outside moisture passing through the footwear from overwhelming the sock’s ability insulate. Depending on temperatures and water exposure, I wear a waterproof shoe or a non WP one for drainage. If water ingress is unavoidable, I chose synthetic socks of appropriate thickness.

Over 55F, I go with non waterproof shoes and the socks should be enough to maintain warmth.

Always take bags off at camp or before bed and put on dry clean socks to sleep. I prefer wool blend socks for sleeping. If I expect wet conditions, I will pack foot treatment to apply before bed and in the morning. In spring and fall, I will also check my feet and treat skin conditions ahead of time to ensure my skin is in good shape.

[Luke Schmidt]

I got thin neoprene socks for packrafting and discovered they were pretty nice for hiking in when my feet were constantly wet. After I was on a drier trail I’d put wool socks back on.

I’ve used trail runners in Alaska just fine, usually… there are times when constantly wet feet is just miserable. In fall I wear goretex boots. Do they leak eventually? Yep. Still nicer then trail runners when it’s 35 degrees and cloudy (especially if I’m hunting and sitting still).

Trail shoes should be fine on a typical summer trip. But get durable ones. Bushwacking through Alderson and sidehilling on scree will trash flimsy uppers.

[Mike M]

In very wet conditions, if my feet aren’t too cold, I just hike in my wool socks.  If it’s a lot of slush, water running in the trail, etc- I use a very (very) thin merino sock with a thin Neoprene over the top.  Feet still get wet, but definitely stay warmer.  I carried them for several years doing the Bob Marshall Open, but was always afraid of blisters with a lot of miles.  A couple of years ago it was cold enough (and thoroughly wet) that I put them on.  Ended up doing close to 30 miles that day without even a hotspot.  Now I wear them more often :)

[BlackHatGuy]

I wish neoprene socks would work for me, but even oversized ones constrict my feet too much and make my feet very cold. Rocky socks work for me for that reason.

[Michael Sirofchuck]

I’ve done a great deal of on and off trail hiking in Alaska and have learned to accept wet feet as part of the journey.  Unless you wear hip boots, it’s going to be difficult to keep your feet dry.  When I participated in the Alaska Mountain Wilderness Race, a point to point 100-150 mile trip, most hikers were wearing trail runners and Darn Tough socks expecting to be hiking with wet feet.  Carry a pair of dry socks in your pack for camp.

The only time I wore neoprene socks was in my packraft on the river.

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